Football Focus Highlight

An injury time own goal by Anton Ferdinand saved Manchester United's blushes as they were pushed to the limit by a battling Sunderland team.

Kenwyne Jones' late goal appeared to have been enough to secure Sunderland their first win at Old Trafford since 1968, but Patrice Evra's shot was deflected in by Anton Ferdinand in injury time. Earlier Dimitar Berbatov's overhead kick had drawn United level following Darren Bent's opener.

It was Sunderland who started brightest, taking the game to the home team, as they penned United in their own half and pressured them with some early set pieces. And they made their early pressure count as they stunned the Old Trafford crowd after seven minutes.

Kenwyne Jones took down a long pass, and laid the ball off to Cattermole who under little pressure rolled the ball to Darren Bent who spun past John O'Shea on the edge of the area and fired in a low shot past Foster into the bottom right-hand corner.



Rooney should have scored when Nani broke down the right flank, and he could only fire at Gordon. But Sunderland's clearance went straight to O'Shea who measured his cross, and Berbatov-with his back to goal, scored with an audacious overhead kick.

But then, out of the blue, Sunderland regained the lead. Andy Reid advanced towards the penalty area unchallenged and his dinked cross was headed in by Kenwyne Jones rising above both Vidic and Foster to score.
Questions will undoubtedly be raised about Foster's role in the goal, as his weak attempt to claim the ball proved costly, and will not have gone unnoticed by Fabio Capello sitting in the stands.

Eventually their resistance caved. Sunderland, for once, were unable to clear their lines, and the ball broke to Evra whose shot was flying wide only for Anton Ferdinand to thrust a leg and divert it into his own net.

Once more an injury time goal had saved United, and despite some late flurries, Sunderland held firm to secure a hard-fought point, while United could reflect on their stroke of fortune.